The kids and I went to a plant sale this weekend put on by the Healing Harvest, a local organization that provides horicultural therapy to “people with physical disabilities, low-income and disadvantaged families, children and adults who have suffered from abuse and domestic violence, substance abusers, and public offenders”. From their website:

WHAT IS HORTICULTURAL THERAPY?
Horticulture therapy is an innovative treatment method conducted by a trained horticulture therapist using plants and plant-related activities to improve the social, educational, psychological, and physical adjustment of an individual to improve the body, mind and spirit. It is a healing element used to help those lives that have been disrupted by illness, injury, trauma, social and economic problems, psychological and developmental disorders, as well as the aging process.

HEALING THROUGH GARDENING
Any gardener will tell you what experts are now applying in a professional context: gardening is therapeutic for many people. Many medical professionals advocate therapeutic horticulture as an effective medium to rehabilitate or stabilize individuals facing physical and mental challenges. Whether by walking through a garden, watering, digging in the soil, or watching a seed germinate, gardening rejuvenates the soul.

Diverse populations including people with physical disabilities, low-income and disadvantaged families, children and adults who have suffered from abuse and domestic violence, substance abusers, and public offenders continue to benefit from therapeutic horticulture.

Not only was this sale put on at someone’s house (whose gardens were just beautiful), but they had fantastic entertainment and great deals on all sorts of plants. They even had signs around the plants to educate people on the plants and how they are grown/used. We took home some great plants at great prices, and made a donation to the organization on our way out. Enjoy the pics, and if you would like to volunteer or receive help from Healing Harvest, please see their website at healingharvest.org

A Spiraea Japonica bush in the host’s front yard. I’m pretty sure I bought 2 plants that will look like this some day, only a more golden variety. They are very popular around here—I see them in the local parks which is how I am gauging the light requirements and growing conditions before I knew what the name was.

Bachelor buttons growing in the host’s garden

The host’s rock garden with decorations for sale. I’d love to have this style of rock garden some day.

Cedar planting boxes

Sunflowers

Herbs and vegetables in the host’s open cold frame.

Trees and shrubs for sale

My daughter liked this planter, and we eventually took it home and repotted it.

Chair planter and teacup decoration for sale, surrounded by the host’s garden. I loved the idea of this teacup thing on a pole … I might do something like it at some point to hold citronella candles on my patio.

The host’s lush garden with plants for sale

Some of the items we took home—succulents both in a strawberry planter and in little pots. I also had some fancy grasses, a clematis, bleeding hearts, columbine, some Spiraea Japonica, and a little fairy house for my daughter.